Comparison of flash and accumulation mode in range-gated active imaging

Abstract

Range-gated active imaging has significantly been improved in the recent past. Due to the availability of high power laser diodes around 800-860 nm, it is now possible to find off-the-shelf systems working with very sensitive light intensifier and laser diodes. On the other hand, eye-safe systems working around 1.5 μm suffer from a lack of intensified sensor in the SWIR band. The only existing intensified sensors require the use of high power pulsed laser sources for the illumination. Consequently, the type of source (diode or solid-state laser) gives fundamental differences between the two types of system. The first technique which uses laser diodes, μchip or fiber lasers, is called "accumulation" imaging. These sources are characterized by a low-pulse power and high repetition rate, mostly around a few tens of kHz. Here, each image is the result of the accumulation of hundred of pulses during the frame time. The second technique which uses a solid-state laser illumination is called "flash" imaging. Here, each image is the result of a unique high power illumination of the scene at low repetition rate, mostly around the video rate. In this paper, we investigate the theoretical and practical differences between these two imaging modes and its influence on image quality, on sensitivity to day light or stray light, on fog penetration capacity, on its sensitivity to turbulences and on laser safety (NOHD). For comparative experimental purposes, we've built a range-gated active imaging system which allows the investigation of both methods. We've carried out precise comparative studies between the two acquisition methods.